Four new paths open to Net Zero

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) developed Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification to evaluate the environmental performance of buildings. LEED certification verifies building design, construction, operations and maintenance to ensure they are resource-efficient, healthy, and cost-effective. Worldwide, 1.85 million square feet of construction space are certified every day.[1]

This month, a four-faceted LEED Zero program was launched to verify net zero carbon emissions, net zero energy use, net zero water use or net zero waste operations. The program is open to all projects certified under LEED Building Design + Construction (BD+C), Interior Design + Construction (ID+C) or Operations + Maintenance (O+M). Projects registered to pursue LEED O+M certification may also participate.[2]

LEED Zero promotes developer and building owner participation to enhance occupant and public health and wellbeing. Along with LEED BD+C, ID+C, and O+M, it verifies net zero goal achievement, signaling market leadership. The sustainability strategies required for certification reduce climate change contributions and benefit water resources, biodiversity, and optimal use of materials.

The LEED Zero webpage[3] has more information about the program and how to get started. ecoPreserve is here to help step-by-step and to answer your further questions. Let’s start your net zero project together! Contact our team of experts for a free quote today.

LEED AP, Sustainable Facility Professional, Envision Sustainability Professional - - Alexa has more than 25 years of experience in sustainable and Smart Cities development. Her strategic planning work has served local, state, and federal government, higher education, and private industry. Alexa founded ecoPreserve in 2009 as a team of 3 and has grown the company to over a dozen of the brightest sustainability and project management professionals in the industry.